# Super Simple Sunrise Lamp
## Overview
This guide was motivated by a really cool project we saw go by online. The idea is to create an alarm clock for kids that uses colors instead of an actual clock face. A night time color means "keep sleeping" and a sunrise color means "wake up! time to play!". Great for youngsters who are not quite ready to read a clock (or struggle to in the morning)
Here's a link to the original project which is based on a Raspberry Pi:
[A Raspberry Pi-powered Snapology Origami Sunrise Lamp](https://python.plainenglish.io/a-raspberry-pi-powered-snapology-origami-sunrise-lamp-night-light-and-disco-ball-a12ea6dcb2fa)
The origami used to make the lamp structure is amazing!
The lamp is really nothing more than: (1) grab current time from internet, (2) wait for wake up time, (3) and then do something with NeoPixels. Can an Internet connected Raspberry Pi running a full linux operating system do this? Yes. Easily. Without even breaking a sweat. Might even be overkill to use a Pi. But when a wifi capable full linux compy can be had for $10, why not?
## RPI Dark Times
Throwing a $10 linux compy at a trivial task is fine, assuming said hardware is actually available. However, Raspberry Pi's are currently very difficult to come by.
There's an unfortunate combination of limited supply with ongoing high demand. Bot driven resellers are buying up stock and reselling them for crazy marked-up prices. Resellers (like Adafruit) are trying to thwart these efforts with various purchasing limits and requirements. For people that just want to make fun Pi based projects, all this just leads to anguish and heart ache trying to get hands on a Pi. The original tweet that caught our eye bemoans this as well:
[Remember when Pi's were given away free on the cover of magazines?](https://raspi.tv/2015/raspberry-pi-zero-free-on-the-cover-of-this-months-magpi-magazine) Ah...good memories from the before times.
## Other Options
But wait! There is hope!
A Raspberry Pi is not the only option for "connecting to the Internet" and doing stuff. There are simpler microcontrollers, like the various ESP chips, that can do this. Sure, they won't be pulling down terabytes of data and running numpy. But they can do relatively simple things - like grab time from the Internet. And they can also readily drive NeoPixels.
In this guide we show how to recreate the Sunrise Lamp project using an ESP32-S2 based board. There are numerous ESP32-S2 options, but to keep things extra smol, we use a QT Py.
There's one with a built in antenna:
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5325)
What has your favorite Espressif WiFi microcontroller, comes with [our favorite connector - the STEMMA QT](http://adafruit.com/stemma), a chainable I2C port, and has lots of Flash and RAM memory for your next IoT project? What will make your next IoT project flyyyyy? What a...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5325)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5325/guides)
Or with a uFL connector for attaching an external antenna:
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with uFL Antenna Port
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with uFL Antenna Port](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5348)
What has your favorite Espressif WiFi microcontroller, comes with [our favorite connector - the STEMMA QT](http://adafruit.com/stemma), a chainable I2C port, and has lots of Flash and RAM memory for your next IoT project? What will make your next IoT project flyyyyy? What a...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5348)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5348/guides)
### 2.4GHz Mini Flexible WiFi Antenna with uFL Connector
[2.4GHz Mini Flexible WiFi Antenna with uFL Connector](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2308)
This 4" / 100mm long **flexible uFL 2.4GHz antenna** has approx 4DBi gain and a 50Ω impedance so it will work fantastically with just about any 2.4-2.5GHz wireless receiver/transmitter such as the
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2308)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2308/guides)
Just like the original project, we use a 12 NeoPixel ring:
### NeoPixel Ring - 12 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers
[NeoPixel Ring - 12 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1643)
Round and round and round they go! 12 ultra bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with 1.5" (37mm) outer diameter. The rings are 'chainable' - connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. Use only one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1643)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1643/guides)
But any NeoPixels could be used.
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/super-simple-sunrise-lamp/circuitpython.md)
## Featured Products
### NeoPixel Ring - 12 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers
[NeoPixel Ring - 12 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1643)
Round and round and round they go! 12 ultra bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with 1.5" (37mm) outer diameter. The rings are 'chainable' - connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. Use only one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1643)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1643/guides)
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5325)
What has your favorite Espressif WiFi microcontroller, comes with [our favorite connector - the STEMMA QT](http://adafruit.com/stemma), a chainable I2C port, and has lots of Flash and RAM memory for your next IoT project? What will make your next IoT project flyyyyy? What a...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5325)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5325/guides)
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with uFL Antenna Port
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 WiFi Dev Board with uFL Antenna Port](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5348)
What has your favorite Espressif WiFi microcontroller, comes with [our favorite connector - the STEMMA QT](http://adafruit.com/stemma), a chainable I2C port, and has lots of Flash and RAM memory for your next IoT project? What will make your next IoT project flyyyyy? What a...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5348)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5348/guides)
### 2.4GHz Mini Flexible WiFi Antenna with uFL Connector
[2.4GHz Mini Flexible WiFi Antenna with uFL Connector](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2308)
This 4" / 100mm long **flexible uFL 2.4GHz antenna** has approx 4DBi gain and a 50Ω impedance so it will work fantastically with just about any 2.4-2.5GHz wireless receiver/transmitter such as the
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2308)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2308/guides)
## Related Guides
- [Adafruit QT Py ESP32-S2 and QT Py ESP32-S2 with uFL Antenna](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-esp32-s2.md)
- [NeoPixel Sprite Weather Display](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-sprite-weather-display.md)
- [NeoPixel Jack-o-lantern](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-jack-o-lantern.md)
- [NeoPixel Ring Clock](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-ring-clock.md)
- [ESP-NOW in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/esp-now-in-circuitpython.md)
- [Festive Feather Holiday Lights](https://learn.adafruit.com/festive-feather-holiday-lights.md)
- [NeoPixels on Raspberry Pi](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixels-on-raspberry-pi.md)
- [Multi-tasking the Arduino - Part 3](https://learn.adafruit.com/multi-tasking-the-arduino-part-3.md)
- [Raspberry Pi Azure IoT Hub Dashboard with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-iot-dashboard-with-azure-and-circuitpython.md)
- [Star Fragment IoT Lamp](https://learn.adafruit.com/star-fragment-iot-lamp.md)
- [Bluefruit Luminary Lanterns with Capacitive Touch](https://learn.adafruit.com/bluefruit-luminary-lanterns-with-capacitive-touch.md)
- [ANO Directional Navigation and Scroll Wheel Rotary Encoder and Breakout](https://learn.adafruit.com/ano-rotary-encoder.md)
- [NeoPixie Dust Bag](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-pixie-dust-bag.md)
- [micro:bit Lesson 3. NeoPixels with micro:bit](https://learn.adafruit.com/micro-bit-lesson-3-neopixels-with-micro-bit.md)
- [Garmin Lidar Lite Range Finder](https://learn.adafruit.com/garmin-lidar-lite-range-finder.md)